Friday, 14 November 2025

 Kat THEOPHANOUS (Northcote) (17:21): (1414) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Housing and Building, and the action I seek is that the minister join me in Northcote to officially open the new social homes our Labor government has built at Walker Street. This project is a powerful example of what good government looks like in the midst of a housing crisis.

For too long the old public housing estate at Walker Street stood in poor condition – buildings more than 50 years old, cold in winter and sweltering in summer, with no proper heating, cooling or disability access. I saw it for myself when I visited the old estate and spoke with residents. People were proud of their homes, but many lived with ongoing issues that made daily life harder than it should be. They made do with what they had, but they deserved so much better.

Now there are 250 brand new energy-efficient and accessible homes, including 99 social homes, built to modern standards of safety, comfort and sustainability. These homes are close to transport, schools, shops and services in the beautiful Westgarth area. They are designed with open green spaces and have links to the Merri Creek, with shared courtyards and community areas that will help new and returning residents connect and thrive. As Parliamentary Secretary for Renters, I know that making renting fairer and more affordable means building supply – real homes for real people. That is exactly what has happened at Walker Street. We have replaced outdated, decaying buildings with warm, dignified, modern homes that give more Victorians a secure place to live. Coupled with the 99 new social homes we have also built at Oakover Road in Preston, this amounts to a 75 per cent increase in the social housing available across these two sites in the inner north of Melbourne.

Unfortunately, not everyone welcomes this progress. The Greens opposed these redevelopments from the outset, opposing in effect the renewal of social housing and the creation of new homes for Victorians who need them most. Hypocritically, they choose to block housing for people, even while trying to convince us all that they are the champions of housing reform.

Safe and secure housing is at the heart of our Labor values, and that is why as the member for Northcote I will always stare down those who cynically oppose and block the housing our community needs and deserves. I would be honoured to welcome the minister to officially open the new Walker Street homes and meet the residents moving in – families, older Victorians and people rebuilding their lives with dignity and hope – because for Labor, it is action, not words.